1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data in an E-mail format by using an E-mail transmission and reception system on the Internet. More particularly, the invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method for making print management by using an address book of E-mail addresses or a registering method of the address book.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, personal computers (PCs) are connected to a network such as Internet or the like and E-mail is transmitted and received between the computers. The E-mail is transmitted and received in accordance with an E-mail address owned by every user. After the transmitted E-mail is once accumulated into a mail server on the Internet, on the basis of a user ID or a password which has been preset in the PC, the mail server transfers the E-mail whose transmitting destination is set to the E-mail addresses corresponding to the user ID to the PC.
A printing apparatus for transmitting and receiving print data by using the foregoing E-mail system, developing image data, and printing it has been known. For example, as proposed in JP-A-8-242326, a facsimile apparatus such that image data constructed in an E-mail format is communicated by E-mail via the Internet has been considered.
In such a printing apparatus using the E-mail system, in order to allow the E-mail to be managed in the printing apparatus, there is a method whereby the apparatus has an address book in which a plurality of E-mail addresses can be registered. For example, as proposed in the Official Gazette of Japanese Patent Application No. 9-283409, a printing apparatus having a mechanism for automatically registering the E-mail addresses has been known. According to such a printing apparatus, if E-mail data is received, address extracting means in an address book management unit extracts an E-mail address of a transmitting source from a header of the E-mail data. If the extracted E-mail address is not registered in the address book, address registering means in the address book management unit allows the E-mail address to be stored into the address book.